Flying-machine.



S. He FRENCH'.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLIoATIoN FILED AUG. 4, ma,

Patenesi Nov. 22, i910.

2 SHEETS-BEBE?? l.

. hzls ant/ 72775571 S.H.PREN0H.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 4, 1909.

@MAGL y Patenfed N0v.22,191o.

2 SIIEETS--SHEET 2.

@J2/@fw @Q4 SILAS H. FRENCH, 0F OBERLIN, OHIO.

FLYING-MACHINE.

` speciaeaaon ofieaers raient. Patented Nov, 22, 1910 Application led August 4, 1909. Serial No. 511,085.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SILAS H. FRENCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oberlin, in the county of Lorain and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flying-Machines, of which the followin is a specification.

My invention re ates to improvements in iiying machines of the aeroplane type in which the weight is sustained by the reaction resulting when one or more aeroplanes are moved through the air edgewise at a small angle of incidence by theapplication of mechanical power through the medium of a screw prope ler.

The invention relatesl more particularly to aerial pro ellers, the objectA of the iinproved prope ler herein shown anddescribed eing to provide an improved propeller adapted to coperate with one or more aeroplanes so as to combine some of the principles and advantages of both the aeroplane and the helicopter, and at the same time, providing means for controlling the direction of `flight and maintaining or restoring equilibrium by means of the feathering propeller blades provided' with mechanism for re -lating the feathering of said propeller bla es whereby their point of most effective sweep and angle of incidence mayl be shifted to meet the exigencies of flight.

The propellers now in common use in connection with flying machines of the aeroplane type do not differ essentially in their construction or mode of operation from the ordinary marine propeller and as their blades are stationary and no means are provided whereby the point` of most effective sweep and angle, of incidence may be shifted to meet the exigencies of Hight', the direction of Hight and the maintaining or restoring of equilibrium or lateral balance are dependent upon helicoidal warping or other movements of the aeroplanes in connection with vertical and horizontal rudders, or by means of rudders alone of various forms and types.

The rimary object of this invention is to provide a generally improved aerialpropel erprovided with feathering blades under direct control of the operator at all times, and adapted to coperate with the aeroplanes for the purposes above mentioned and adapted to exert much greater power or forward thrust for the power applied than is now attained'by the ordinary propeller.

With the above mentioned ends Vin view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, hereinafter described, illustrated in one of its embodiments in the'accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, forming a part o f this specification, Figure 1, is a perspective view of a flying machine of the aeroplane type constructed in accordance with my invention., Fi 2, an enlarged detail plan view of one 0% the improved propeller hubs, one of its walls being removed for the pur ose of showing the mechanism for 4feat ering the propeller blades. central cross sectional view of the same showin arrangement of the axle shaft for regulating the feathering of the blades and the tubular driving shaft for imparting motion to the improved propeller. Fig. 4, an

enlarged detail perspective view of the lower portion of the steering shaft or column-with its mountings and connections. Fig. 5, a detail plan view of one of the oscillatin spindle shafts carried by the hub portion o theimprovedpropeller for carrying and feather- Fig. 3, a

ing the ropeller blades. Fig. 6, a cross'sectional view of the same as it appears in the hub casing in connection with the adjacent operating mechanism.

Similar numerals of reference designate like parts throughout all the figures of the drawings. v v

In the present embodiment of the invention I have shown the improved feathering blade 'propellers in connection with aeroplane or flying machine of the monoplane type, though it is obvious that these propel- `1ers are adapted for application to aeroplanes of .various forms and types. The aeroplane or monoplane 1, may be formed by stretching cloth or other suitable fabric over a rectangular frame 2, in any suitable and convenient manner, said frame, in the present instance, being carried upon a sub- ]acent supporting frame of suitable form which may consist of a second rectangular plane 3, provided at its corners with upright standards or bars 4, suitably connected to the corners of the rectangular frame 2. A number of cross hars 5, may be carried by the frames 2 and 3, and the front and rear edges of said rectangular frames maybe provided with additional upright bars and strengthened in any suitable and convenient ongitu manner. The entire superstructure may be suitably strengthened or trussed by means of diagonally disposed brace or stay wires .6.

In the present embodiment of .the invention the rectangular frame 2, is further strengthened by means of longitudinally extending brace bars 7, intersected intermediate their ends by-means of cross brace bars 8, said bars 7, and 8, depending downwardly and provided at their intersecting portions with bearing heads 9, for the upper ends of the propeller shafts hereinafter described.

Each proneller comprises an, axle shaft 10,

rovided with a crank arm 11, and a tubuar or sleeve driving shaft 12, said tubular shaft surrounding the axle shaft 10, and carrying a' hub portion 13, in the present instance, in the form of a. hub casing surrounding the crank .arm 11. Each axle shaft 10, is adapted to be oscillated for the pur ose ofregulating the feathering of the bla es as hereinafter described by being provided at the lower end with an operating crank arm 14, connected to suit-able mechanism hereinafter described.

The hub portion or casing 13, carries a luralit of spindle shafts v15, provided with ,p (iinally-extending spira ribs 16. The

lated` by the mechanism hereinafter described and are carried at their ends' in bearing blocks 17, said bearing blocks being referably provided with ball or roller bearings v(not shown) for the purpose of reducin the friction to a minimum.- The prope ler blades 18, may be formed in any suitable and convenient manner, Ypreferably ofy the form shown, and, in the present instance,

provided withshank or spindle portions 18, adapted to be secured in the ends of the spindle shafts' 15. It 'is evident, however, t at the'` shank or spindle portions 18, of the propeller blades might be formed integral with the spindle shafts 15.

As a means for feathering the propeller blades 18, atproper points in their paths of revolution a plurality of connecting arms or links 19, are provided, said. links being connected at their inner ends to the cross arm ortion 11, of the double crank arm 11,-0 the axle shaft 10, and ,provided at theirouter ends with cross heads 20, carry- .ing guide rollers '21. The guide rollers ,21, are mounted ii onaxle pins or bars 22, ex-

tendingthrpug slots 23, of the hub casing" .13, said guide .rollers 21, being adapted to travel in their reciprocating motion upon guide members 24, of hub casing 13. It will be observed that the guide rollers 21, are arrangedon each side and take over the spiral ribs 16,1so that as theguide rollers 21, are reciprocated during the revolution ofV the propeller said guide rollers will oscillate the spindle shafts "15, and thus feather the spindle shafts 15, are adapted to be csail-- propeller blades 18, at the points desired as hereinafter described.

Each propeller driving shaft 12, is mounted, in the present instance, at its end in the bearin head 9, formed at the intersection of the race bars 7 and 8, and is carried at its lower end in a bearing head '25, of a bearing arm ,26, of one of the cross bars 5. It will thus be observed that the propeller driving shafts extend upwardly and diverge from each other beneath the aeroplane 1, so that the propellers are adapted to revolve in outwardly diverging planes beneath 'said aeroplane. As a means for revolving said driving shafts, each shaft is provided at its lower end with a bevel gear 27, meshing with an adjacent bevel gear 28, carried upon the ends of a horizontally-disposed driving shaft 29, mounted in suitable bearings 30. In the `their feathering blades present their vmost effective sweep at their outer or lateral paths of revolution A, as indicated in Fig. 1, of the drawings, whereby the same is carried forwardly, and as a means for preventing the blades from retarding such movement in the further revolution ofthe blades, and, more particularly, for imparting an upward or helicopter action to the propeller, the r0- peller'blades are presented at an angle om said point of most effective sweep and during the rear path of their revolution as indicated in said Fig. 1, of the drawings. Dur ing the remaining portion of the revolution of said propeller blades and to a pointV slightly'beyond and -below the plane of travel of the aeroplane passing through or intersecting the axis of said propeller the propeller blades are feathered edgewise so'as to offer little or no resistance to the air in the forward movements of the aeroplane. Asa means for regulating the-feathering of said propeller blades whereby the point of most efective sweep and an le of incidence above -described may be shi ed to meet the path of i at its lower end with a cross head 35, carry- A Iing connecting rods or links 36, extending outwardly and rearwardly andconnected to the opera-ting cranks 14, whereby the axle shafts 10l may be shifted or oscillated to regulate the feathering of the propeller blades in an obvious manner in 4view of the construction hereinbefore described. The steering shaft 34, is provided at its top with aeroplane fand a steeringwheel 37, so as to be within ready reach of the operator seated upon the seat 38, and as a means for imparting simultaneous and like movements tothe axle shafts 10, the steerin shaft 34, is adapted to be rocked' to and ro by being pivotally mounted at its llower end in a bearing plate 39, provided iwith .afslot' 40, and upwardly extending bearing lugs 41, carrying a transversely disposed bearing pin42. The trussskids 43, carried by and extending forwardly beneath the second rectangular frame 3, extend forwardly and carry upon their front ends a front horizontal rudder of any suitable and convenient construction.

From theforegoing description, taken in driving said propellers in opposite direct tions, and means for simultaneously varying the feathering of said feathering blades whereby to maintain lateral balance.

2. A flyin machine, comprising an' aeroplane, prope 1ers revolving ino posite directions in outwardly diverging p anes and pro-` vided with feathering blades, and means for l feathering said blades at such .points in the revolution of said propeller's as will tend to maintain or restore lateral balance.

3. A iying machine, comprising an aero-'- plane,a propeller on each side thereof, each: of said propellers revolvin in opposite di-y rections and provided with eathering blades presenting their point of. mostj veffective swee at, the outer sides of their pathsf-of revo ution, and means for'fsimultaneously va ing the point of most effective sweep-of sai f featherlng blades at each side of said erplplane whereby to meet the exigencies v'of 1g t. 4. A .flying machine, com rising an aeroplane, Propellers`- dispose beneath A:saidrovided with axially movable'propeller-b ades, means for revolving said propellers, means for axially oscllatin said pro eller Vblades during the outer an rearwar paths of the revolution of said propellers, and means for varying the point o f most effective sweep of said propellers whereby to maintain lateral balance and control the direction of flight.

5. In a fl ing machine, anv aeroplane, a supporting rame therefor, propellers carrying featheringblades presentin their point of most' effective sweep at their ateral' paths of revolution and .during a portion Vof their revolution presented at an angle from said point of most effective sweepl whereby saidA said blades whereby to control the direction of flight and maintain equilibrium.

-7. A flying machine, comprising a frame carrying an aeroplane, a pair of upwardly extending and diverging propeller shafts disposed beneath said aeroplane, propellers revolving in outwardly diverging planesl beaol neath said Aaeroplane and 'provided with feathering blades presenting their point of most effective sweep at the outer paths thereof, and means for controlling and feathering said blades.

8. In a flying machine, the combination with an aeroplane and a sup orting frame therefor; of wardly diverging' planes beneath said aeroplane and carrying featherinl blades presenting their oint lof most e ective sweep at their outer ower paths of revolution an presented at an an le from said point through their rear pat s whereb said aeroplane is carried forwardly an upwardly,

Vand means for regulating the feathering of said'blades whereby said point of most effective sweep and angle of incidence maybe Ashiftedto meet the exigencies of flight.

9; A flying machine, comprisin an aeropropellersrevo ving in outplane and a supporting frame t erefor, a

propeller axle shaft at each side of sai supporting frame, a tubular vdriving shaft surrounding each of said axle-shafts and provided with a hub, spindle shafts carried by each of said hubs and each'provided with longitudinal spiral ribs, link-arms carried by the crankl of each of said axle shafts and provided at their yends with guide-rollers takin l over said s iralribs of said, spindle sha ts,'propeller b ades carried by said spindle shafts, o eratrovided with a crank ing crank arms at the lower ends o said propeller axle shafts, ak steering column provided with a cross head, and connecting rods connecting said cross head with said operating crank arms whereby said propeller axle shafts vmay be `oscillated to regulate the feathering of said propeller blades. In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

' SILAS H. FRENCH. VVitnesses:

Louis E. BURGNER, y F. E. Gaius. 

